Ratchet device



April 1933- A. J. KOUNOVSKY 1,904,621

RATCHET DEVICE Filed March 29, 1932 JzJmmmA Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED STATES g M i 1,904,621;

ALBERT J. KOUNOVSKY, or STANTON, NEBRASKA RATCHET DEVICE Application filed March 29, 1932. Serial No. 601,842.

This invention relates to ratchet devices and pertains particularly to an improved ratchet wrench element.

The primary object of the present inven- 5 tion is to provide a ratchet device which is designed primarily for use in association with a socket or similar wrench whereby the op eration of the wrench in either of two directions with a ratchet return, may be effected.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ratchet structure for wrenches or similar tools, which is of novel design and which may be easily and quickly adjusted to obtain the desired ratcheting action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ratchet device employing wedge rollers, in which a novel means is used for adj usting or shifting said rollers and retaining them in the proper position.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, how'- ever, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the ap ended claims.

the drawing Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the ratchet device embodying the present invention showing the same applied to a socket ratchet handle and showing a socket wrench thereon and in section;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the ratchet device, per se;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the ratchet device with the cap thereof removed;

Figure 4: is a sectional view taken upon the line H of Figure 2, showing the wedge rollers and control key fingers so related as to facilitate the free turning or idling of the center member to the right;

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4: but showing the control key fingers and wedge rollers so related as to facilitate the free turning of the center member to the left;

Figure 6 illustrates a modified construction of the interior portion of the ratchet.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of-reference 1553 indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates generally the ratchet element embodying the present invention, with which isshown attached a socket wrench handle 2 and onthe ratchet element is mounted a socket wrench 3'. The ratchet element 1 comprises a body at which is preferably of circular or cylindrical de'-' sign, in which is formed from one end the ci'rcular-chamber 5, the bottom of which has opening therethroughthe passage 6' which opens through the opposite end of the body 4 from the chamber. The body 4 is exteriorly threaded, as indicated at 7 about that end in which the chamber 5 is formed and covering the chambered end ofthe body-and secured thereto by means ofthe threads 7 is a cap 8, the center of the-head of which isprovided with an aperture 9.

Extending through, the passage 6 in' the '7 bottom 'ofthe body 4 and projecting beyond the bottom, is a stud or stem 10, a s ring pressed ball 11 of the usual" design 'eing mounted in the stud and engaging the wall of the passage to maintain the stud in position and a second spring pressed ball 12 is mounted inthe stud adjacent the outer end, for effecting the secure attachment of the socket wrench 3 thereto. I

Disposed in" the chamber 5 is ahubj body 85 13 which is provided with a central passage or opening 14 of polygonaloutline and which has the four outer cam faces 15. These cam faces 15 are divided to'form the two plane surfaces 16 which'conve'rge ata low point at the center of the'camming surface 15, as shown. It will thus be seen that the space of great.- est width between each of the camming surfaces 15 and the adjacent wall of the chamber 5 is at the transverse center of the camming surface.

Disposed between each c'amming surface 15 and the wall of the chamber 5*is a wedge roller 17. These wedge rollersextendpan allel to the longitudinal axis of the hub 13 movement of the key fingers 19 across the adjacent camming surfaces, is permitted.

The key plate 18 has an opening out therethrough, the edge of which is of a contour to outline two rectangles, each of the four corners of one rectangle being indicatedby the numeral 20 and each of the four corners of the other rectangle being indicated by the numeral 21. Each of the rectangles defined by the opening in the key plate 18 is of the same size as the rectangular passage 14 in the hub 13 and either thereof may be brought into alignment with the passage 14 of the hub by a slight oscillation of the key plate.

From the foregoing description it is believed that it will be apparent that upon the oscillation of the key plate18 in one direc tion, as for example, to the right so as to bring the corners 21 into coincidence with the corners of the passage 14, the key fingers 19 Wlll "be shifted to the position shown in Figure 4 relative to the wedge rollers 17 so that the hub may be rotated freely to the right within the chamber 5 but will be locked with the wall of the chamber uponreverse rotation, by the rolling of the wedge rollers 17 onto one of the plane faces of the carnming surfaces. In order to reverse the ratcheting action of the device it is merely necessary toremove the end of the handle 2 which was extended into the passage 14 of the hub and shift the key plate 18 back so as to bringthe corners 20 into coincidence with the corners of the passage 14 and thus shift the key fingers 19'to the positions shown in Figure 5 so as to allow the free rotation of the hub 13 to the left and causing it to lock with the body 4 when ro-V tated to the right.

While in the foregoing description reference has been made to the aperture in the key plate 18 as having corners defining rectangles and to the passage 14 as being rectangular in outline, it is, of course, to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to this exact formation, asit will be readily apparent that the passage 14 and the opening through the key plate may be made to take a handle end which is of triangular cross section or which may have more than four corners.

It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the use of a hub having four cam'ming surfaces as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 for as will be readily seen upon reference to Figure 6 the hub may be provided with three camming surfaces only, which hub in this figure is indicated by the numeral 22 and a portion of the surrounding chamber wall is indicated by the numeral 23. The wedge rollers are here indicated by the numerals 24 and-as will be readily understoodthe key plate, which is not shown, will have only three pairs of key fingers, which fingers are shown and are indicated by the numerals 25.

In addition to the foregoing it is to be understood that while the ratchet herein described has been described as being used in connection with a socket wrench and wrench handle it will, of course, be apparent that it may readily be employed in connection with otherv tools where a ratcheting action is desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A ratchet tool, comprising a body having a circular chamber opening through one wall thereof, a body in the chamber having joined cam surfaces in itsv side which face the circular wall of the chamber, said surfaces being farthest from said wall at their points of joinder, a wedge roller lying between said surfaces and said wall, said second body having therein a passage of polygonal cross section coaxial withthe chamber, an elongated member formed at one end to removably engage in said polygonal passage, a member positioned against one face ofthesecond body having a pair of fingers extending across said cam surfaces with said roller therebetween, said last member being shiftable to place a selected one of said fingers in .a position to limit the movement of-the roller in one direction, and means whereby said finger carrying member will be held-in either of two adjusted positions by the elongated member when the latter has the said end thereof engaged in said polygonal passage.

2. A ratchet tool, comprising two bodies i.

one having a chamber in which the other body is positioned, one of the two confronting walls of the said bodies being circular, a pair of cam surfaces formed in the other of the said confronting walls and facing the said circular wall, the said cam surfacesbemg oined and being farthest removed from the opposed circular wall at their points of joinder, a wedge roller disposed between the cam surfaces and the opposed circular wall,

one of said bodies having a central aperture of polygonal cross section, an elongated body having an end of the same cross section as said aperture and adapted to removably engage in the aperture, a member disposed against an end of one of said bodies and carrying a pair of fingers interposed between the members and-having said wedge roller therebetween, said last member beingshiftable to either of two positions to control the movement of said roller between the bodies, and means whereby the said last member when shifted to either of the said two positions will be locked against movement, by the elongated member when the said end of the latter is inserted into said aperture.

3. A ratchet tool, comprising two bodies one having a chamber in which the other body is positioned, one of the two confronting walls of the said bodies being circular, a pair of cam surfaces formed in the other of the said confronting walls and facing the said circular wall, the said cam surfaces being joined and being farthest removed from the opposed circular wall at their points of joinder, a wedge roller disposed between the cam surfaces and the opposed circular wall, one of said bodies having a central aperture of polygonal cross section, an elongated body having an end of the same cross section as said aperture and adapted to removably engage in the aperture, a member disposed against an end of one of said bodies and carrying a pair of fingers positioned between the said cam surfaces and the opposed circular wall with said wedge roller therebetween, said member having an opening through which the said end of the elongated member is extended when introduced into the said aperture, said member being shiftable to effect the holding of said wedge roller in either of,

two positions by the fingers, and means whereby the said last member will be locked against movement after being shifted to either of the two said positions, by the said end of the elongated member when it is in position in said aperture.

4. A ratchet tool, comprising two bodies one having a chamber in which the other body is positioned, one of the two confronting walls of the said bodies being circular, a pair of cam surfaces formed in the other of the said confronting walls and facing the said circular wall, the said cam surfaces being joined and being farthest removed from the opposed circular wall at their points of joinder, a wedge roller disposed between the cam surfaces and the opposed circular wall, one of said bodies having a central aperture of polygonal cross section, an elongated body having an end of the same cross section as said aperture and adapted to removably engage in the aperture, a member overlying an end of one of said bodies and having a pair of fingers disposed between the cam surfaces and the opposed circular wall with said wedge roller therebetween, said member having an opening through which the said end of the elongated member may pass for insertion into the said aperture, said opening being of a contour to provide corners for two distinct polygonal outlines, each outline corresponding to the cross sectional design of the said aperture and the said end of the elongated member, said last member being shiftable to scribed comprising a. body having a circular chamber therein, a hub body in the chamber having a central passage, said chamber and passage opening through one side of the first body, a plurality of camming surfaces formed on the hub body, each camming surface facing the wall of the chamber and each being transversely centrally divided to form two plane faces, the said plane faces being angularly related and the central portion of each camming surface being the remote point of the camming surface from the chamber wall, a wedge roller disposed between each camming surface and the said wall, said hub passage being of polygonal cross section, a key disk overlying one end of said hub and having an opening therethrough, said opening being of a contour to provide corners for two distinct polygonal outlines, each outline corresponding to the cross sectional design of the hub aperture, a plurality of pairs of fingers carried by said key plate, each pair overlying a camming surface and each pair having a wedge roller therebetween, said hub aperture being designed to receive a tool of similar cross sectional design, and said key plate being oscillatable to bring either of said po- ALBERT J. KOUNOVSKY. 

